Fabulous Friday Feature - Kate Breslin-I Had Irish Stubborn Running Through My Veins

Today we welcome author:

Kate Breslin

One commenter will win a copy of
Kate's book: 

Not By Sight

Mary here. Word has spread about Kate's fantastic books. I am so excited to have her here today. THEN I read her post below....wow. I can barely breathe. You're gonna love reading her God story. Here is what she said:

I Had Irish Stubborn Running Through My Veins...Until

Mary, thank you for hosting me this weekend! I’m so pleased to be here and to share about the way God has influenced me on my writing journey.

We are so excited to hear from you, Kate.

The fact is, I didn’t always dream of being a novelist. Growing up I only wrote two short stories: the first about a girl who loved her horse (I think we all wrote this one,) and the second was a whodunit, which is not surprising given my childhood compulsion for reading Nancy Drew mysteries. I also wrote poetry, and everyone in my family got a birthday card with my purple prose. The poetry came in handy when I was a youngster and got into hot water with my mom. I’d write her heartfelt verses and tuck them under her pillow at night. In the morning when she found them, all was forgiven. We still joke about how that poetry got me started down the road to publishing. J

It wasn’t until years later that I started writing my first novel. Always an avid reader, I discovered the world of historical romance and read every popular author I could get my hands on. When I’d finally exhausted my supply, I decided to try writing my own. Easier said than done, let me tell you! I’ve worked a few high-pressure jobs in the past, but novel writing is by far the most challenging…and the most rewarding.

I joined Romance Writers of America as an aspiring author, hoping to publish in the secular romance market. I had no interest in writing inspirational fiction at the time. I was the Prodigal daughter, having drifted away from my faith after high school, despite a good Catholic Christian upbringing. So I wrote my first novel, a Scottish historical romance I still affectionately call my “everything but the kitchen-sink” book. I received many rejection letters, but after countless drafts, polishing and revising, I entered the manuscript into RWA’s Golden Heart contest and became a finalist. I was thrilled—the years of hard work had paid off! I would win the Golden Heart and shortly afterward, an editor would hand me a publishing contract.

I didn’t win, nor did I get that contract. Even then God had other plans.

I did more revising on the manuscript, and my stack of rejection letters grew. I began to despair, feeling crushed and wondering if I was even supposed to be a writer. Still I wasn’t ready to give up. I buried that Scottish book in a drawer and began writing another story then another. I experienced a few hits and misses with agents along the way, yet nothing came of it.

During this time, I also returned to my faith. I was reading the Bible cover-to-cover, something I’d never done before, and I was attending church. My conscience began to work overtime and I questioned my secular pursuits. I even considered writing for the inspirational market, but like a fish on the end of a hook, I resisted. I decided to compromise with God; I would clean up the language, tone down the steamy scenes, but as I had Irish stubborn running through my veins, I was determined to do things my way.

So I ignored the little Voice inside that told me “uh-uh.”

It was several years before I finally reached a crossroad. I’d written a romantic comedy, and I was so proud. I’d accomplished writing the clean secular story I’d vowed to write, without the bad language or explicit scenes. I submitted my manuscript and was excited when I got “the call” from an agency interested in representing me. Finally God was going to give me my heart’s desire!

Then came the “…we love it, but…” over the line. I was told I really needed to add in those steamy scenes I’d left out, otherwise readers would be disappointed. I gripped the phone and my conscience teetered. I wanted to publish more than anything. But I’d made this pact with God, hadn’t I? Still, if I refused, the agency would move on to the next writer. I’d lose my chance to see my book in print.

In the end, I caved and added in the scenes. The agency then sent off my submission to twelve publishers (how Biblical is that?)  I felt awful inside, and recalled a verse in the Bible from Matthew 15, when Jesus talked about clean and unclean food. How what goes into a person’s mouth is fine, but what comes out, because it generates from the heart, can be sinful.

I asked myself what was truly in my heart. What word was I putting out into the world?

I don’t think there’s another author who would have been relieved to get back twelve rejection letters on a manuscript. But when I received the last one, I knew in my heart it was a Sign, one of many I’d received, and this time it stuck.

But my journey wasn’t over. Though I’m certain now God had His hand on me when I got the idea to write my debut novel, For Such A Time, a retelling of the Book of Esther set in the more modern venue of WWII, I still had reservations. Writing about my story characters, I found their struggle with faith, fear, and uncertainty resonating with my own. I’d been at this writing business for what seemed an eternity, and without success. Now I was embarking on a writing genre completely foreign to me, leaving my pack to follow a new path. Would I succeed or would I stumble? Was this new course I’d set myself upon God’s intention for me?

Yet as I finished writing For Such A Time, it felt right. I felt right. And through the process I’d come to more deeply understand God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. I couldn’t say that about the other stories I’d written. I knew that even if the novel never published, I was at peace for the first time in a long while. To my delight, For Such A Time did publish and I’ve been amazed at the abundant blessings I’ve received. With the recent release of my sophomore novel, Not By Sight, I continue growing in my faith and love for God, and putting good words out into the world.

Wow! What a testimony and inspiration, Kate!

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Former bookseller-turned-author Kate Breslin enjoys life in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and family. A writer of travel articles and award-winning poetry, Kate received Christian Retailing's 2015 Best Award for First Time Author and her debut novel, For Such A Time, is a Christy award, RITA award, and Carol award finalist. Kate's second novel, Not By Sight released in August, 2015. When she's not writing inspirational fiction, Kate enjoys reading or taking long walks in Washington's beautiful woodlands. She also likes traveling to new places, both within the U.S. and abroad, having toured Greece, Rome, and much of Western Europe. New destinations make for fresh story ideas.

You can learn more about Kate by going to:

Website

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Not By Sight

In the spring of 1917, all of Britain's attention is on the WWI war front and the thousands of young men serving their country on the front lines. Jack Benningham, dashing heir to the Earl of Stonebrooke, is young and able-bodied but refuses to enlist despite the contempt of his peers.

A wealthy young suffragette, Grace Mabry will do anything to assist her country's cause. Men like Jack infuriate her when she thinks of her own brother fighting in the trenches of France, so she has no reservations about handing him a white feather of cowardice at a posh masquerade ball.

But Grace could not anticipate the danger and betrayal set into motion by her actions, and soon she and Jack are forced to learn the true meaning of courage when the war raging overseas suddenly strikes much closer to home and their fervent beliefs become a matter of life and death.

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Not by Sight:

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Thank you, Kate, for joining us this weekend!

We love chatting with you and are looking forward to reading your comments and questions. Or at least your hi, hello, or hey.

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